Variable-speed transmitter.



PA'IENTED MAY 24, 1904.

I. MILLER.

VARIABLE SPEED TRANSMITTER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 31, 1903.

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110.760,900. Y i RATENTED MAY 24, 1904.

` E.- MILLER.

VARIABLE SPEED TRANSMITTER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 31, 1903.

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UNI-Tian` STATES Patented May 24, 1904.

FRANCIS MILLER, OF BELLEVUE, KENTUCKY.

VARIABLE-SPEED TRANSMITTR.

SPECIFICATION forminglpeft of Lettere Patent No. 760,900, dated Mey 24,1904.

` Appiitetitn tied July 31, 1903"I To all whom t may concern/J:-

i Be it known that I, FRANCIS MILLER,"a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Bellevue, in the county ofCampbell and State of Kentucky, have invented certain` new and useful Improvements in Variable-y Speed Transmitters, of which the following is a specification.

This invention-relates to certain improvementsvin' transmittingdevices, and more-particularly in that class of such' devices which are adapted for adjustment for securing a multi-l plicity of speed variations; andthe object of the invention is to provide a device of this character of a simple and inexpensive nature and of a compact, strong, and durable construction, wherein is eliminated as far as possible the element of loss due to wear and friction of the parts.

The invention consists in certain novel fea'- tures f the construction, combination, and arrangement of the several partsof the improved variable-speed transmitting device, whereby certain important advantages are attained and the device is made simpler, cheaper, and otherwise better adapted and more convenient 'for use, all as will be yhereinafter fully set forth.

The novel features of the invention will be carefully defined 'in the claims'.

In the accompanying drawings, which serve to tional elevation taken through the casing or housing of the transmitting. device in a .plane at right angles to the axis of rotation and showing the several parts contained in the casing or housing. Fig. 2 is a sectional View taken through the casing or housing in a broken plane at right angles to the plane of the section in Fig. 1, as indicated by the line a a in Fig. 1.

Fig.' 3 is a side view of the improvedy transmitting device drawn to a reduced scale. Fig. 4t is an edge elevation of the transmitting device.

Fig. 5 is a side elevation showing the main annular member or master-ring of the device detached. l In this view the master-ring is shown provided with asproeliet-face. Fig. 6 is a view showing detached one of the annular parts or rings whereon are held the antifriction-rollers for supporting the main member or masterring. Fig. 7 is a partial section taken through illustrate my invention, Figure 1 is a sec- Serial No. 167,755.v (No modelJ an edge portion of the main member or masterring and showing the same provided with a belt-face over which a vbelt lor band is to be indicated in- Figs. l and 3, eacli part or section 1 and 2 being formed with an inturned circular Harige 3', which flanges are alined and form the peripheral surface of the circular .casing or housing. The parts or sections 1 and 2 of the casing have projecting integral lugs 4t tt, correspondingly arranged' and perforated for the passage of bolts 5, extending each through a lug of each part or section to tie .the sections together, spacing-sleeves 7 being held on the bolts between the lugs t and nuts 6 being screwed on the bolts to hold them in position. 'By means of thespacingsleeves -7 the circular inturned flanges 3 S'of .the respective parts or sections l and 2 are held apart from each other, so as to produce an annular space between the sections and extended around the perimeter of the casing. or housing,and in said annular space is held to turn a main annular transmitting member or master-ring 8, the peripheral portion of which is extended outside the casing or housing andthe inner part of which is extended inside the casing or'housing'and has laterally-extended annular anges `9 9 projecting from its opposite sides and Vconcentric Vwith but `spaced slightly apart from the inner surfaces of the flanges 3 3 of sections 1 and 2.

1()` 10 indicate anti'friction-rollers arranged `in two series, one ateach side of the main =member` or master: ring, and interposed between the respectivelianges 3 and 9 in such a way as to hold the master-ring 8 for free turning movement within the casing or housing .with ,a minimum of friction and wear. The

rollers l0, as seen in the drawings, are held IOO on pins 11 extended from rings 11, one at each side of the master-ring, and the said rollers are held from lateral displacement by means of internal beads or flanges 12 produced within the sections or parts 1 and 2 of the casing and engaged with the outer ends of the rollers of the respective series.

The projecting peripheral portion` of the main transmitting member or master-ring 8 is adapted for operative engagement with any desired mechanism which may thus be operatively connected to drive or be driven fromv the master-ring. In Figs. 1 to 4 the member or master-ring 8 is shown as provided with a toothed gear-surface 18, adapted for driving engagement with a toothed wheel 14, as seen in Figs. 8 and 4; but I do not desire to limit myself to the employment of a toothed drivingsurface on the master-ring, since other forms of gearing may be substituted for the toothed gearing. For example, in Fig. 5 I have shown the master-ring provided with asprocket-face 15 to be engaged by a chain belt, and in Fig. 7 I have shown said master-ring provided with a belt-face 16, over which a belt or band may be passed in a well-known way.

The parts or sections 1 and 2 of the housing are formed with integral outwardly-projeeting portions 17 17, forming enlargements of the interior chamber of the housing, and these enlargements are adapted to receive various parts of the internal operative mechanism of the transmitting device when moved out of operative position, and said projecting portions 17 are formed with bearings 18 18 suitably arranged for receiving various shafts, one of which (the shaft 19) is adapted for connection outside of lthe housing with any desired mechanism which may drive or be driven from said shaft 19.

2O indicates a sleeve mounted for endwise movement at one side of the housing upon shaft 19 and extended through the corresponding bearing 18 into the interior chamber of the housing, wherein is a toothed gearwheel 2l, connected withthe sleeve and also adapted for movement in the direction of the length of the shaft, the sleeve affording a means for moving said wheel 21 and the teeth of the wheel when the same is moved to a position central within the master-ring being adapted for driving engagement with the teeth of an annular internal gear-surface 22 produced centrally within the master-ring. By this arrangement it will be seen that when the sleeve 20 is actuated to move the wheel 21 over to the right from the position shown in Fig. 2 the teeth of said wheel will engage the central gear-face 22 of the master-ring, whereby shaft 19 will drive or be driven from the master-ring at a relatively slow speed, and when the sleeve 2O is reversely moved, so as to position wheel 21, as seen in Fig. 2, the gear-surfaces will be disengaged and either shaft 19 or master-ring 8 may turn freely and independently.

23 indicates another shaft, jonrnaled in bearings 18 18 above shaft 19, said shaft 23 being adapted for endwise movementin the housing within the master-ring 8, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2, and on said shaft 23 is carried a toothed pinion 24, the teeth of which when the shaft is moved over toward the rightfrom the position shown in Fig. 2 are adapted for engagement with the teeth of the internal gear-face 22 of the master-ring, and said pinion- 24 is connected by an integral hub or sleeve with another toothed gear-wheel 25 of larger diameter, which when the shaft is moved to engage pinion 24 with gear-face 22 will be moved into engagement with the gear-wheel 21 on shaft 19, whereby the shaft 19 will drive or be driven from the master -ring through the medium of the intermediate gears 24 and 25, the direction of movement in this position of the parts being, however, the reverse to that secured when the gear-wheel 21 is directly engaged with the -teeth of gearface 22. Then the shaft 23 is reversely moved to position the gear-wheels 24 and 25, as seen in Fig. 2, the pinion 24 will beout of mesh with gear-face 22 and no movement will be imparted thereto. In this position of the parts the gear-wheel 25 is also out of mesh with wheel 21 on shaft 19.

Upon the shaft 19 is secured at the side of the housing opposite the gear-wheel 21 anothergear-wheel 26 of less diameter than said wheel 21, and 27 indicates a pinion held upon a shaft 28, extended through the housing inside the master-ring and movable endwise in bearings 18 18, said pinion 27 having an integral hub or sleeve whereby it is connected with a gear-wheel 29, the teeth of which when the shaft 28 is movedto the position shown in Fig. 2 being in engagement with the gearface 22 of the master-ring 8 in such a way that the shaft 19 will drive orbe driven from the master-ring through the medium of said gear-wheels 26, 27, and 29. When shaft 28 is moved over toward the left from the position seen in Fig. 2, the pinion 27 will be disengaged from wheel 26, and at the same time the wheel 29 will be disengaged from the gearface of the master-ring, so that there will he no movement of wheels 27 and 29.

31 indicates another shaft extended lengthwise through the housing within the masterring and adapted also for endwise movement in bearings 18, and on said shaft is a pinion 30, the teeth of which when shaft 31 is moved toward the left from the position shown in Fig. 2 are adapted to mesh with the teeth of wheel 26 on shaft 19.- The pinion 30 has an integral hub or sleeve connecting it with another gear-wheel 32, which when the shaft 31 is moved to engage wheel 30 with wheel 26 will be engaged with the internal gear-face IOO I'IO

22 yof the master-ring lijn such a Waythat shaft li-)wW-ill -drive oribe driven from` the 'masterring through the medium of the Wheels 32,

30, and 426; `When the shaft 31 is reversely' moved toposition Wheels 30 and 82, as shown inFig. .2,I the`whe1el 30 will bedisengagedV from vWheel"`26,-l andl at. the same time the Wheel 32 Will be disengaged. from the gear-face 22 of the master-ring, so that A,in thisgposition of. the parts no movement Will be imparted to said Wheels 82 and 30. ...Y

Inl-the use of the improved transmitting device poyven from a suitable source may be applied innany desired wayto rotateshaft 19 or tojturnthev master-ring, since'either of these parts maybethe initial elements of the trans-' sleeve c19 for the adjustment of the internal parts in their various positions, and when the master-ring is the initial element for transmission and shaft 23 is actuated to engage its pinion 24 vvith the gearface 22 of ,the master-ring its gear-Wheel 25 will be engaged with the gear-Wheel 21 on shaft 19, so that said shaft 1 9 Will be driven from the masterring at an increased speed. In a similar Way when the shaft28 is actuated to engage its pinion 27 With the Wheel 26 on shaft 19 its Wheel 29 will be engaged with the gearface 22 of the master-ring in such a Way as to drive the shaft 19 from the master-ring at a speed less than that attained through the medium of the gears 24, 25, and 21, and When shaft 31 is actuated to engage its gear 30 with the gear-vvheel 26 on shaft 19 its gear-Wheel 32will be engaged with the gear-face 22 of the master-ring in such a Way as to afford a third speed variation. When the sleeve 20 is moved to engage the Wheel 21 of shaft 19 with the gear-face 22 of the master-ring, the

direction of movement of said shaft 19 Will be reversed, as will be understood.

It will be seen from the above description that the improved transmitting device is of an extremely simple, strong, and compact structure and is therefore especially Well adaptedfor use and also that, since but one series of theintermediate gears is in service at a time, the Wear of the parts and loss of power due to friction are reduced to a mini- The change of speed may also be quickly secured, and the direction of movement may bequickly reversed when desired. It Will also be obviousfrom the above description that the device is susceptible of some modiicationwithout material departure from the principles and spirit of the invention,

and forthis reason I do not desire to be un,-4

derstood as limiting myselffto the 'precise form and arrangement ofthe several parts ofl thedevice vherein setl forth in carrying out my invention in practice.y For example, a greater or less number of the shafts, such as `areshoWn at 23, 28, and 31, and Whereon are carried the intermediate gears, may be employed Without departure-from the invention, and, if desired, the master-ring may have more than one internal gear-face, as indicated in Fig. 8. In this View the master-,ring has tWo in# ternal vgear-faces 35 35, which are yseparated by a space 36Whereinthe1pinion2li onshaft 23l stands idle when the Jshaft is movedfto throw its gears out of operation. 'Y nStead ofv the internal face of `the,master-ringbeing toothed andv the several internal Wheels being f gear-Wheels, said internalfface and said gear- Wheels could lbe constructed either plain or or bevel-faced and engage each other on the same plan as hereinbefore" describedv for said master-ring and internal gear-Wheels; butvI prefer the use of the-internally-toothed master-,ring andthe gear-Wheels, such as are' shown in the drawings, as they operation thereof is more positive andeective. vIt Will also -be obvious that the improved transmitting device constructeduaccording to my invention is especially Well adapted for use in automobiles and the like, but is also Well adapted for .use in all other situations Where changeable gearing is required, and for this reason I do not desire to limit myself to the.

.employment of the improved device in connection chinery.

What I claim is- 1. Atransmitting device comprising an internally-toothed master-ring, a shaft having a gear-Wheel movable into and out of engagement with the internal gear-face of the master- With. any particular class of ma- IOO ring and a plurality of intermediate gears movable in the direction of the length of said shaft and each engageable With the internal teeth of the master-ring and also with the gear-Wheel on the shaft.

2. A transmitting device comprising an in ternally-toothed master-ring, a transmittingshaft having a gear-Wheel laterally movable into and out of any engagement with the master-ring, a plurality of shafts extended through' the master ring and arranged for endwise gageable, in the endvvise movement thereof, with the internal teeth of the master-ring and also with the gear-Wheel of the transmittingshaft. l Y

3. A transmitting device comprising an internally-toothed master-ring having flanges at opposite sides, annular supporting means IIO ymovement and gears on said shafts and en-.z

at the sides of the master-ring and concentric v With the flanges` of the master-ring, .rollers interposed between the ianges of the masterring and said annular supporting means, a transmitting-shaft having a gear and intermediate gears movable in the direction of the length of the ltransmitting-shaft and engageable with the internal teeth of the masterring and with the gear-wheel on the transmitting-shaft.

4. A transmitting device comprising an internally-toothed master-ring having Hanges at opposite sides, a housing having annular l parts at opposite sides of the master-ring and concentric with the ianges thereof, rollers interposed between the fianges of the masterring and the annular parts of the housing, a transmitting-shaft having a gear and intermediate gears movable in the direction of the length of the transmitting-shaft and engageable with the internal teeth of the masterring and with the gear-wheel of the transmitting-shaft.

5. A transmitting device comprising ahousing formed in tWo parts' having similar inturned opposite iianges and provided with means for holding them in-relation with said anges spaced apart, a master-ring held between the flanges of the housing with a driving-surface presented at the perimeter thereof and with supporting means inside the housing, and provided with an internal gear-face and gearing inclosed in the housing and engageable with the internal gear-face of the master-ring.

6. A transmitting device comprising an internally-toothed master-ring, a transmittingshaft, a gear-wheel on said shaft movable in and out of engagement with the internal face of the master-ring, a second gear-wheel fixed on said transmitting-shaft, a longitudinallymovable supplementary shaft carrying two gear-wheels one of which is adapted to engage with the fixed gear-wheel on the transmittingshaft While the other is engaged with the master-ring.

7. A transmitting device comprising an internally-toothed rotary master-ring, a main transmitting-shaft carrying two gear-wheels of different size, one of which is movable and adapted to engage the master-ring, and supplemental shafts each carrying two gearwheels one wheel of each supplementary shaft being adapted to engage the master-ring while the other engages one of the two wheels on the main transmitting-shaft.

Signed at Cincinnati, Ohio, this 27 th day of July, 1903.

FRANCIS MILLER. Witnesses:

JOHN ELIAS JoNEs, WILLIAM E. CAMPBELL. 

